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The Spectacle Blog
The Mark Sanford news is profoundly sad on so many levels. Sanford was one of the only Republicans who has been a consistent defender of limited government. During his time in Congress in 1995-2001, he racked up a solid economically conservative -- even libertarian -- voting record, slept on the couch in his Washington office to save money on housing, and kept his pledge to only serve three terms. As governor, he's been at war with the Republican-controlled legislature, vetoing one spending bill after another, in a battle that culminated with his valiant fight to reject the stimulus money. During an era when most Republicans talked a big game, he repeatedly put his career on the line to fight for smaller government. Today, conservatives everywhere should be mourning, because we lost the man who was in the best position to run for president in 2012 articulating limited-government philosophy. As I followed this week's story, I thought Sanford handled it poorly, but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he just took off to clear his head. I chalked it up to his eccentric and intospective nature. Unfortunately, once again it turns out you can never be too cynical as a political reporter.
It's absolutely disgraceful not only that he had an affair, not only that he lied about it publicly, but that he put his staff in a position to lie about it. And anybody who has followed Sanford was given the impression that he was a family man. Always close to his sons, so tight with his wife that she managed every one of his campaigns and even served temporarily as his chief of staff while he was governor. And yet he abandons them on Father's Day weekend to fly off to Argentinia to see his mistress, and now forces them to live through all this emotional pain in the media spotlight.
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/06/24/sanford-and-sons
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Pingback| 6.24.09 @ 3:42PM
Michelle Malkin » Bastard links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 6.24.09 @ 3:55PM
Mark Sanford didn't keep his penis in his pants | The TIW Blog links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
ncatty| 6.24.09 @ 4:25PM
South Carolina remains too small to be a country and too large to be an insane asylum.
Roy| 6.24.09 @ 5:02PM
He could of course have drunk-driven his mistress off a bridge into a river and left her to drown, earning him the unstinting adoration of the media as the "Last Lion of the Senate". He'd have to change parties first of course.
JohnnyRussia| 6.24.09 @ 5:31PM
The GOP's new campaign slogan: "Oops! I Did It Again!"
jr| 6.24.09 @ 5:48PM
Another "conservative" Republican bit the dust, or something. Guess he wasn't conservative enough to stick to his vows, but since he is a politician, it appears to be normal. You want to elect someone, go ahead, I'm fed up with it. South Carolina, impeach the bustard.
Spicy Joker| 6.24.09 @ 5:52PM
Mark Scumford should resign immediately. He is a vile, loathsome, vomitous politician. I'm sick of these sociopathic Republican politicians who care more about their sexual gratification than about their country or party.
PapaHans| 6.24.09 @ 6:42PM
Don't be deceived, the republican party is giddy with relief that Sanford, apparently, has had sexual congress with something that's human, an adult, female, and alive. Score a big one for the party of values!
Sean| 6.24.09 @ 7:44PM
I would like to see a lot more politicians resign before Stanford does. Those politicians that can't keep their vow to obey the Constitution.
Angel| 6.24.09 @ 8:17PM
Sean, I agree with you. Have you been a big Sanford supporter?
Sean| 6.24.09 @ 10:06PM
Angel, I liked what I saw in some of Sanford's policies. He seemed to be more small government oriented than most of the the elected Republicans. I would like someone even more small government minded than even Stanford though for President. The problem is with the current crop of big spending Republicans the pickins are slim. I guess he is now up there with McCain and Ensign on keeping his vows to his wife.
Michael| 6.25.09 @ 1:31AM
Typical conservative Republican hypocrites. Lecturing everyone else and being the police of everyone's "family values" and "sanctity of marriage" meanwhile showing what little family values they do have and how much sanctity they have for marriage. Always, the do as I say, not as I do party. Just ask Larry Craig and David Vitter. Just curious, are you going to give Sanford a standing ovation like you did for Vitter and Ensign? Craig would have gotten one if not for being gay.
Barleyman| 6.25.09 @ 2:25AM
The party of values? Puleez. yet another example of Republican follies. Stanford was doubt a bastion of limited government. Good for him!
The real issue is his disappearance. Did anyone really know where he was. If there was a state emergency, would anyone have been able to contact him? And if, as he states, his wife knew about it 5 months ago, did she know where he was? If she was OK with it, I am OK with it.
So many questions unanswered. I find it laughable that some will have to search back to the early sixties find their "counter point" to this debacle. Keep it up Republicans... one shovel at a time. The American public sees you for the hypocrites you are.
Patriot| 6.25.09 @ 5:50AM
Counterpoint? Who did Sanford kill, moron? That distinction would be held by your democrat, the 'swimmer' Teddy Kennedy.
And you boneheads still lionize him--sick liberal b@stards!
Warpublican| 6.25.09 @ 8:14AM
"Counterpoint? Who did Sanford kill, moron? That distinction would be held by your democrat, the 'swimmer' Teddy Kennedy. "
kennedy "killed" someone? That's news - As I recall, a car went into a river and Kennedy freed himself - unable to free what's her name. The issue wasn't the accident - it was the aftermath - idiot - had he went and called for police, there'd be no story - but he panicked until he sobered up. Anyway, too bad for Sanford - I'm sure the red-state losers will find a way to blame Obama...
elephant4life| 6.25.09 @ 9:13AM
"Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven".
He didn't "run out" on his wife, she had kicked him out a couple of weeks ago, over this issue.
jr, defiling one's marriage vows is not justification for impeachment. On the other hand, refusal to secure borders and enforce immigration laws, disregarding bankruptcy laws, extortion, coercion, intimidation, blackmail, witness intimidation, illegally firing Inspector Generals who are getting too close to the truth, obstruction of justice - those are worthy of impeachment. And your little golden Indonesian citizen in the Oval Office has perpetrated every one of them in just six months. As for public trust, how about his lovely misrepresentation of his real religion, which is so obviously Muslim? Watch what stones you're throwing, there.
spicy joker, please do some research into what a "sociopath" is before flinging the label around. That fits Barry Soetoro, aka Barack Obama, if you want to get technical.
And yes, Mary Jo was left to drown. Only she didn't - she suffocated when the oxygen in her air pocket ran out. Was pregnant, too, by all accounts. And Teddy Bare was more interested in his political viability than in saving her. He didn't even try. Anyone else would have gone to prison for manslaughter.
chris| 6.25.09 @ 9:57AM
Hey Warpublican. You're 'memory' sucks. What actually happened is Ted Kennedy didn't 'try' to free her, he freed himself then walked directly to a bar. He didn't even bother to tell authorities.
Pingback| 7.16.09 @ 10:05PM
WesternStandard.ca » SC Gov. Mark Sanford was cheating on his wife links to this page. Here’s an excerpt: